


running in the middle of the night: a hannibal lecter prequel

by isthismydesign



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Hannibal Lecter is a Cannibal, Hannibal Lecter is the Chesapeake Ripper, Hannibal Lecter is the Monster of Florence, Pre-Canon, making headcanons canon since a month ago when i started this fic, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:14:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26797183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isthismydesign/pseuds/isthismydesign
Summary: Hannibal Lecter is a lot of things, but an open book isn't one of them.The death of his parents, adoption by his aunt and uncle, the loss of his sister. The travels from Lecter Castle to Florence, the flight from Italy to the United States. The smell of his teacher's cancer to the scent of Will Graham's horrible aftershave. Every murder and meal in between.
Relationships: Hannibal Lecter & Mischa Lecter
Kudos: 5





	running in the middle of the night: a hannibal lecter prequel

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ashisbored](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashisbored/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20 January 1965 - Aukštaitija, Lithuania

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good afternoon! I have _no_ business beginning another fucking fanfic, but I'm very passionate about this one! 
> 
> This is, in fact, a prequel to NBC's Hannibal. It's canon compliant, and I'll be blending the show with real life a little bit (especially the Monster of Florence era). We begin our journey with Hannibal's birth, and follow him until he meets Will Graham! This fic will have a lot of structure, research, and will generally become my lil masterpiece. Updates might be slow, but I assure you that I will not lose interest!
> 
> Beginning notes are for updates or something you might need to know before reading, and end notes will tell you what I might have incorporated from real life. 
> 
> This chapter is short but I want to give you a little preview before diving and get this out of my drafts before AO3 deletes it.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> x Gray

Its a cold and windy way in mid-January, silence stretched across the forests of northern Lithuania, the untouched land interrupted by a castle nestled in the trees. The cold day covered the land with ice masquerading as snow and the wind howled as it tore through the trees. The relative quiet of the estate was broken only by the clamor of servants rushing about the castle, and the sound of a woman screaming for her husband.

"Where the hell is he? _Morirò prima di dare alla luce suo figlio senza di lui! Dove cazzo è mio marito?_ Hannibal!" Those servants within earshot winced at the woman's tone that had steadily increased in pitch. Moments later the doors to her chamber's were thrown open as Count Hannibal Lecter VII ran into the room, followed by an older gentleman who was clearly a doctor. They each took a side of the bed, the Count sitting in a chair and taking one of the woman's hands while the doctor opened his medical bag on a table beside the woman. 

"Simonetta, I am sorry the doctor took so long." His fingers brushed away a lock of hair falling in Simonetta's eye. "You can be upset with me as long as you would like after you deliver our son, hmm?"

" _Sei fortunato che ti amo così tanto._ " The woman muttered, and Hannibal couldn't contain a smile. 

The doctor summoned a midwife as Hannibal stroked his wife's brow, whispering as he drowned out muttered curses and gasps of pain. 

" _Pani_ Lecter, it's time to push. Are you ready?" The midwife was motherly but still strict, and it was clear no questions were being asked. Simonetta nodded, grasping her husband's hand so tight that Hannibal heard a pop, making the Count wonder if anything was sprained.

"Alright, you push on three, for as long as you can. It's going to hurt even more, but we want your son out here with us, don't we? Let's begin. One, two, three!" _Crack._ Hannibal's finger was definitely dislocated, but the pain was nothing compared to the screech of his wife as she began to push. She held out for almost a minute before collapsing back on the bed. 

The midwife nodded. "A wonderful start _Pani_. Take a moment to breathe, because we have to do it again." A pattern began. Simonetta would push for increasingly long periods of time, Hannibal would wonder if he could ever write again, and the midwife would mop Simonetta's hair and tell her to breathe. 

The doctor informed Hannibal that his wife had been pushing for almost an hour. Hannibal informed the doctor that unless something was wrong, he really didn't give a damn. At least he got Simonetta to laugh, even if she instantly groaned in pain. 

"It's time." The midwife said after a moment.

"It wasn't already?" Simonetta snapped.

"Final push _Pani_. As long as possible, and when you are done, you will have a son. That sounds wonderful doesn't it? Think of your son, and _push-_ "

It was the longest minute and a half of the Lecter's lives. Then, several things happened at once. Simonetta pushed - " _Fanculo_!" - Hannibal's finder broke - "Shit!" - the midwife grabbed the child - "He's here!" - the doctor, very unhelpfully, announced the time. "Two thirty-four in the afternoon!"

" _Dimentica Hannibal. Ucciderò quel fottuto dottore._ " The doctor thankfully got the hint, and busied himself with checking over the child.

Hannibal steadfastly ignored his throbbing hand in favor of kissing his wife. "Darling, you may kill as many doctors as you wish." She grinned, head falling back into the pillow as Hannibal cleaned his wife's face.

"Your son, _Państwo_ Lecter." The midwife handed his son, _his son_ , to Simonetta before grabbing the doctor's arm and exiting the chamber. The silence of the room was broken by Simonetta's quiet sob.

"Our son! Our son, we did it!" She traced the baby's face with shaking fingers. A mixture of sweat and tears covered her face, and she had never looked so beautiful to Hannibal, smiling and looking down at their flesh and blood.

Hannibal slid onto the bed, holding his wife and child in his arms. "I hardly did a thing my darling." His wife didn't reply, and they lost themselves looking into their baby's eyes. The stunning shade of amber that was only amplified by the candlelit room. The eyes that Hannibal had fallen in love with on Simonetta's face, he loved just as much on the face of his son.

"Hannibal VIII, my beautiful son." Simonetta whispered as her son grabbed at her fingers. "You are going to change the world, darling."

She was right. Dr Hannibal Lecter VIII would change the world, in a way that neither she nor her husband could ever imagine. 

This is his story, his _design_. And it's only the beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real events:  
> \- I used Mads' birth year and the OG Hannibal's birthday to create 20 January 1965  
> \- The weather is from that date in Vilnius, Lithuania 
> 
> I have never given birth (shocker), so I apologize for anything I got wrong on that front.
> 
> Simonetta's Italian: (with Google Translate, I'm sorry)  
>  _Morirò prima di dare alla luce suo figlio senza di lui! Dove cazzo è mio marito?_ \-- I will die before I give birth to his child without him! Where the fuck is my husband?  
>  _Sei fortunato che ti amo così tanto._ \-- You are lucky that I love you so much.  
>  _Fanculo!_ \-- Fuck!  
>  _Dimentica Hannibal. Ucciderò quel fottuto dottore._ \-- Forget Hannibal. I'll kill that fucking doctor. 
> 
> Honorifics! I used some Slavic ones I found online, sorry if I used them wrong! _Pani_ is the feminine version of _Pan_ , which means "Sir". _Państwo_ is the collective!
> 
> Thank you for any and all hits, kudos, comments, and bookmarks! I appreciate it. Until next time!
> 
> x Gray


End file.
